If a government knows how to accommodate the fat cats and has worked out how to win the votes of the poor with direct transfers, then it doesn’t need the middle class
While economists warn politicians against making excessive promises, they acknowledge the value of welfare schemes—provided states remain within their financial limits.
On latest episode of ThePrint Off The Cuff, former IMF executive director asserts that lack of important indices such as Census & Consumer Survey has resulted in India lagging behind in data.
Both incumbent Congress & its main rival BJP are offering host of freebies. Some voters have welcomed the move, others say it is only aimed at elections.
Subsidies are here to stay. Worryingly, subsidy expenditure will likely increase as Indian politicians try to meet a wider set of aspirations through more diverse freebies.
Next round of state elections will see more welfare promises. However, these freebies may be offered at the cost of investment in infrastructure required for a modernising economy.
Rajasthan’s finances show its revenue is relatively strong & it is becoming more independent of the Centre. Prioritising social sector over capex is not necessarily bad, say experts.
The US and Israel’s assassinations of Iranian leadership ended up bestowing martyrdom on those killed. Shias saw the deaths as a continuity of martyrdom from the Battle of Karbala.
India’s fast-growing data centre sector may strain state electricity networks; Central Electricity Authority has urged Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu to boost capacity.
Theaterisation, which aims to divide the forces into three theatres with specific areas of responsibility, will become the single most far-reaching reform that the Indian military has witnessed since independence.
China patiently invested capital, skill and technology in coal gasification. Unlike it, we won’t move from words to action. As crude prices decline, we lose interest.
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